Conversation Questions Cities pps

1 Conversation Questions Cities  Why you like living in the city?  What are some of the advantages of living in a city?  What are some of the disadvantages of living in a city?  Do you know the neighbors who live near you?  What's your favorite city? Why?  What city do you live in? o What part of this city do you like the best? o Can you describe the city?  What aspects of life in the city would you complain about?  What do you think should be done to improve living condition in cities?  What are some differences between living in the city and living in the country?  What size city is best to live in? Why? http://iteslj.org/questions/classrooms.html Classrooms  What do you like about your classroom?  Do you think the teacher should assign seats to students?  What kind of classroom setting is the best for you?  What are five things you like about your classroom?  What are five things you don't like about your classroom?  What are five things you would like to change in your classroom?  Do you enjoy changing classrooms for different classes?  What is the ideal seating plan or arrangement in a classroom?  Is there any air-conditioning in your classroom?  Is your classroom a nice place to study?  Do you like the location of your desk in your classroom? Cars and Driving  How old were you when you first learned to drive? o Was there anything difficult about learning to drive?  Can you drive a car? o Can you drive a manual shift car? o Do you have a car? o If so, what kind of car do you have?  Is it a standard (manual shift) or automatic shift?  Which do you like best, a standard or automatic shift car? o What are the advantages of owning a car? o What are the disadvantages of owning a car? o Are you a good driver? o Have you ever been in a car accident? o Have you ever been pulled over by the police?  What happened? o Have you ever driven a car in a foreign country?  If yes, which side of the road did they drive on?  Were the road signs different? o Are the drivers in your area where you live good drivers? o Do you know anything about repairing or maintaining a car? 2  What do you know how to do?  Where did you learn how to do this?  Do you enjoy repairing cars?  What are some things you do to maintain your car? o Do you prefer driving or riding public transportation? o What kind of car do you prefer? o Do you like drive at night? o Do you think cars should be banned from city centers? o What side of the road do you drive in your country? o Is drunk driving a problem in your country? o What kind of laws does your country have about drunk driving? o What is the penalty for drunk driving in your country? o Have you ever been (or) do you know anyone who has been in an accident related to drunk driving? o Is jaywalking legal in your country? o Do people often jaywalk in your country? Clothes & Fashion  About how much money do you spend on clothes a year?  Do you like shopping for new clothes?  Do you often buy new clothes?  Do you prefer to go shopping or just browse? Why?  Do you think men should be allowed to wear skirts?  What piece of clothing do you spend your money on the most? Why?  Do you read fashion magazines?  Do you sometimes wear a hat?  Do you think it is important to wear fashionable clothes? o (Do you think it is important to be in fashion?)  Do you wear jewelry? o If so, what kind of jewelry do you wear? o How often do you wear jewelry?  Do you wear the same color clothes now that you wore ten years ago?  Do you wear the same size clothes this year as you wore last year?  Do you think people feel different when they wear different clothes?  Have you ever made your own clothes? o If so, what did you make? o Do you often make your own clothes?  How many pairs of gloves do you have?  What are some of the strangest fashions you have seen?  What colors do you think look good on you?  What colors do you think look good on your mother?  What did you wear yesterday?  What do you think of body piercing? o Do you have pierced ears? o Do you know anyone with a pierced nose? o Would you ever pierce your tongue?  What do you think of people who dye their hair green?  What do you think of women who wear high heel shoes? o Do you think high heel shoes are bad for a person's health?  What fashions that you see today do you think will be out of fashion within two years?  What is your shoe size? 3  What kind of clothes are in fashion now?  What kind of clothes do you usually wear?  What's the most expensive piece of clothing you have ever bought?  What's your favorite color for shoes?  When was the last time you got dressed up? o Why? o How often do you get dressed up? o Do you like to get dressed up?  Where are some good stores to buy clothes in this area?  Where do you usually buy clothes?  Would you like to be a fashion model?  Questions on Styles, Clothing and Fashion-based Stereotypes o What would you think of a women who cut off all her hair and went around bald as a fashion statement? o What do you think of a man who is bald for fashion's sake? o What do you think of women who wear short mini-skirts? o Do you think that the clothes we wear reflect what is inside us ? o What do you think of people who always and only wear black? o What do you think of people with tattoos?  Do you have a tattoo?  Do you know someone with a tattoo? o What do you think of people with body piercing?  Do you have pierced ears?  Would you pierce other parts of your body? o What would you think of a high school student who always wore very conservative clothes? o What type of clothing do you wear when you are angry and you want to express yourself? o What colors do you choose to wear when you are happy? o Would you dress the same as you do in your country if you went to America for a visit? o Do you dress the same when you are depressed as you do when you are very happy?  In what ways do you dress differently? o If you went out with a group of high school friends, would you dress differently then if you went out with your grandmother and her friends? o In what ways does your Grandmother dress differently then you? o When you get old do you think you will dress like your grandmother or grandfather? o Would you ever wear dreadlocks?  What do you think of the people who wear them? o Have you ever worn your hair braided in small braids.  Did anyone look at you differently because of it? o Would you ever wear contacts to change your eye color? o What is the difference in the people who choose to wear contacts and the people who choose to were glasses? o What do you think about women who don't wear earrings? o What do you think about men who wear earrings?  What do you think of women who do? o Is it possible for women to wear too much make-up?  When is a person wearing to much make-up? 4  What do you think of men who wear make-up? o Is it possible to be beautiful without wearing any make-up, earrings or other accessories? o Do fashionable clothes really change the way a person looks? o What differences have you noticed in the fashions here and in your country? o What do you think of men who where tights? o What do you think about secondhand clothes?  Why do you think people buy secondhand clothes?  Have you ever been to a store that sells secondhand clothes?  Have you ever bought secondhand clothes?  Would you buy secondhand clothes? o When and where did you buy an article of clothing you're wearing right now? Why did you choose it? o What would you think if the mother of the groom wore black at a wedding?  What would you think if a bride wore red?  Should a bride's dress be long or do you think it could be the length of a regular skirt? o What items of clothing do you consider provocative?  (It would be interesting to see if foreigners perceive their own clothing to be provocative or not, but to get them to admit that, the question should be phrased - would it be so in American or Canada, etc.)  What do you think of men wearing high heels?  What do you think of women wearing high heels?  Why is it acceptable for women to wear men's clothing, but not for men to dress in women's clothing?  Is there a stigma attached to people who buy no-name (no brand) clothing?  Are some people more fashion conscious than others? What types/groups of people?  Have you ever bought imitation brand clothing?  What traditional costumes do people from your country wear?  When do you wear them?  Are they comfortable? Drugs  Do you think alcohol is a drug?  What is alcoholism?  Do you know of any alcoholics?  How do you stop being an alcoholic?  Do you know how much alcohol is in beer?  Do you know how much alcohol is in whiskey?  What are some of the characteristics of drunk people?  Is alcohol addictive? What about tea, coffee, and chocolate?  Should marijuana be illegal?  Do you think marijuana should be legal or illegal? Support your opinion with facts.  Why do you think marijuana is illegal?  Is marijuana grown in your country?  What are some ways drug users use marijuana?  Do you think tobacco companies would like to sell marijuana?  Why do you think that tobacco is a legal drug?  Are any of your friends addicted to tobacco? 5  What are the different ways to use tobacco?  Do you know anyone who smokes a pipe?  What is the difference between pipe tobacco and cigarette tobacco?  What do you think about chewing tobacco?  Is there any difference between "soft" drugs such as marijuana and "hard" drugs like crack, heroin, cocaine etc?  Is ecstasy a soft or a hard drug?  Should there be punishments for dealing drugs?  Should there be punishments for using drugs?  Should drug dealers get the death penalty?  If heroin were legal, would there be less crime? For example, burglary and robbery.  Are some people more easily addicted to drugs than others?  Do some people have addictive personalities?  If you are addicted to drugs, what should you do?  What else can people become addicted to?  Do you know how much illegal drugs cost?  Do you think it is easy to buy illegal drugs where you live?  Which is worse, a peaceful drug addict or a violent non-addict?  Should pregnant women be arrested for child abuse if they use drugs when they are pregnant which may affect the baby?  Should women be prevented legally from drinking any alcohol or smoking when pregnant?  Do you think it is a good idea to have safe, legal injecting rooms for intravenous drug users, where they can use clean equipment and sterile water?  Cancer patients find that marijuana stops their pain. Should it be legal for them?  Do you think experimenting with alcohol and cigarettes leads to experimenting with harder drugs?  Do you think ecstasy is dangerous?  At what age should it be legal to drink and smoke?  Do we use too many prescription drugs?  What are natural remedies?  Are natural remedies like homeopathy and herbal medicine drugs too?  Do we give too many prescribed drugs to children?  Why is the cost of prescription drugs so high?  Have you ever used a prescription drug without a prescription?  What do you think society ought to do about people who spend most of their time and money getting high on illegal drugs? Why?  Should employers be allowed to "drug test" their employees?  Why do you think people start using drugs?  What should happen to babies who are born addicted to drugs?  What would you do if someone in your family were addicted to drugs?  What do you know about drugs? o What are some dangerous drugs? o What drugs do you think are useful? o What drugs are addicting?  Do you think that marijuana should be legal for medical uses with a prescription from a doctor?  What does crack cocaine do to your body? o What does it do to your mind? o What will happen if you keep on using? o How do you stop yourself from using it? / How does an addict quit using it? 6  What kind of drugs are the most popular in your country? o What kind of "legal" drugs are the most popular?  Are we as a society addicted to legal drugs?  In your culture, what are some home remedies for: o stomachaches < children?s and Education  Are college tuitions reasonable?  Are foreign languages part of the curriculum? If so, which languages?  Are most schools coeducational in your country?  Are there any subjects/classes you wanted to study but they weren't available at your school/college?  Are there good colleges in your country?  Are women encouraged to pursue education?  Do you have difficulty with school work?  Do you know anyone who does not know how to read or write?  Do you think teachers are paid enough?  Do you think your school is a good one? Why/why not?  Do you think your teachers give too much homework?  Do you think it is easier to learn as a child or as an adult?  Do you think public speaking can improve your english?  How can we improve our classroom?  Why English is hard to learn at university level?  How do you travel to school?  How long must you go to college to get a degree?  How much is too much homework? How should the homework load be managed?  If you have not attended college, do you plan on doing so?  Is it difficult for people without a college education to get good jobs where you live?  What are some good ways to learn English?  What are some important factors in determining which college to attend?  What are the qualities of a good student?  What are the qualities of a good teacher?  What classes would you take?  What do you study? What's your major?  What is the average age of a high school graduate?  What is your favorite class?  What was (or is) your favorite subject? Why do you like it?  Who selects the college you will attend you or your parents?  Why are you studying a foreign language?  Why do you think people become teachers?  Why is it helpful to learn a Second language ?  Why is it sometimes very difficult to speak another language?  Would you consider studying abroad?  How much free time does a high school student in your country have?  Do parents home-school their children in your country? o What do you think of home-schooling? o Do you know anyone who was home-schooled?  Do you think that most parents influence what university their child will attend?  Once you graduate from a university should you stop learning? o What are some ways a person can continue to learn?  Does education guarantee a good job? 7  Which is more important, the essential skills in life you've learned to develop on your own or the artificial structure in college about the "real" life?  Which high schools and colleges are the best in your country?  Which high schools and colleges are not so good in your country?  We should not just prepare for life, but live it. Do you agree?  What kind of world do you think this would be if people never went to school?  Should education be free? Entertainment  What is the most popular drama/comedy/game show in your country, and what is the story-line (drama) or format (game show)?  Do you like to watch cartoons?  What did you watch on TV yesterday?  What is one of your favorite TV shows? o Why do you like it? o When is it on? o Does you father like it, too?  Do you listen to classical music? Why or why not?  Have you ever been to a play? If so, when was the last time?  Have you ever been to Disneyland?  Have you ever been to the theater?  Have you ever hosted a party?  Have you ever tried water skiing?  Have you ever used a slot machine?  How far in advance do you begin planning a vacation?  How often do you go to parties?  How often do you read comic books?  How often do you visit museums? When was the last time?  Is gambling legal where you live?  Should books be censored?  Do you often go drinking? Where? Who with? How often?  Should movies be rated? Explain.  What are some forms of gambling people do in your country?  What are some games that you don't like to play? Why?  What are some good books that you have read? o What is the best book you have ever read?  What are some of the good movies you have seen?  What are some of the most popular amusement parks in your country?  What are some things you can do without spending a cent?  What computer games have you played? Which are your favorites? o Which do you think are not so interesting?  What do you do in your spare time?  What do you like to do on a night out?  What do you think of soccer? (baseball, hang gliding, )  What games are popular in your country? Why are they popular?  What is your favorite game? Why?  What is your favorite holiday? Why?  What kind of music do you like?  What kind of things do you like to read?  What singer would you most like to meet? 8  What was the last book you read?  What's the most popular holiday in your country? o When is it? o How is it celebrated?  What's your favorite magazine? (What are some of your favorite magazines?)  When do you usually listen to the radio?  Where do you usually read?  Who are some of the famous actors and musicians in your country?  Who are some of your favorite actors and actresses?  Who do you think is the funniest comedian?  Who is the most popular entertainer in your country?  Who is your favorite author?  Who is your favorite comedian?  Who is your favorite musician? o Who is your favorite female singer? o Who is your favorite male singer? o Who is your favorite guitarist?  Who is your favorite writer? (author)  Why do some people gamble?  Would you rather go to a bar or a nightclub?  What do you do for fun? Environment & Pollution  Are there litter laws where you live? If so, what is the penalty for littering?  Do you think cars should be banned from city centers?  Do you think people should recycle newspapers? Why or why not?  Do you think there are lessons to learn from nature?  How has the world changed since you were a child? (technology, values, environment, health)  How often is garbage collected in your neighborhood?  If humans are really intelligent and not simply manipulated by their genes like any other animal, why can't they do anything about overpopulation?  What are some things that can be recycled?  What are some things that your community is doing to help the?  What are some things which you recycle?  What are some types of pollution?  What are some ways that you can reduce pollution in this country?  What can you do to help prevent pollution?  What can you do to make this world a better place?  What do you think of people who smoke cigarettes indoors?  Which is more important, increasing people's standard of living, or protecting the environment? o Think of a situation in your area involving this issue. o Which side would you choose?  Who do you think is more responsible for pollution, individual people or the government? Explain.  What is the most important issue facing the environment today?  Do you know about any anti-pollution programs in your community? o What about programs in your native country?  Do you usually drink bottled water? Why or Why not? 9  If you could choose one alternative energy source to develop which one would you choose? Why?  Are companies more or less environmentally responsible now than they were in the past? Why do you think that is?  Do you think recycling is an important community service? o Do you recycle?  Who should pay for the costs associated with renewable energy?  Should we make the development of renewable energy sources an economic priority?  What are some ways energy is wasted?  What types of energy are popular in your native country?  What is the main problem with renewable energy sources?  What can large cities do to improve their air quality?  How can we protect the environment and at the same time improve people's standard of living?  Do you think overpopulation is an important environmental issue? Why or why not?  Should an environmental levy be imposed on SUVs not used in the farming community? o How would this help the environment?  Should gas for motorists be more expensive? o What would be the advantages and disadvantages of this?  What's happening to forests in the world?  What happens when we remove forests?  What can we do to protect forests?  Why should we recycle?  How is pollution effecting the environment of the United States today? o How about your own country? Family  Are friends more important than family? What do you think?  Are chores assigned to children in your family?  Are you married?  Are you pressured by your family to act in a certain way?  Are you the oldest among your brothers and sisters?  Are your parents strict?  Did you ever meet any of your great grandparents?  Do you get along well with your family? o Do you get along well with your brothers and sisters? o Do you get along well with your in-laws?  Do you have any brothers or sisters? If so, how old are they?  Do you have any children? If yes, what are their names and ages?  Do you have to clean your own room? o Does your mother make you clean your room?  Do you like your family? Why or why not?  Do you live with any of your grandparents?  Do you live with your parents?  Do you look more like your mother or your father?  Do you often argue with your mother or father? What about?  Do you often visit your grandparents?  Do you think people should adopt children from other countries?  Do you usually have any influence on family matters?  Do your parents let you stay out late? o What time do you have to be home? 10 o Do you have a curfew?  How did you get your name? o For whom are you named? o Who are you named after?  How many (first) cousins do you have?  How many aunts and uncles do you have?  How many brothers and sisters do you have?  How many children do you have?  How many members do you have in your family altogether?  How many people are in your (immediate) family?  How many people are in your family?  How often do you see your cousins?  How often do you see your grandparents?  How often is your entire family together?  How old are your brothers and sisters?  How old are your children?  How old are your grandparents?  How old are your parents?  Is spanking a good way to discipline children?  Should people follow the religion of their parents, or should they have the liberty to choose another?  What are some of your fondest memories of childhood?  What are your parents like?  What do you and your family like to do together?  What do you think of married couples who decide not to have any child?  What do your mother and father look like? How about your grandparents?  What do your parents do in their free time?  What are the occupations of your family members? o What does your father do? What's his job? o What does your mother do?  What is the best memory you have of your family doing something together?  What kind of things do you do with your family?  What will you teach your children? (what values, beliefs, hobbies, skills, etc.)  What would you change about your childhood?  Where do your grandparents live?  Where does your father's father live?  Where does your mother's mother live?  Who do you get along better with, your mother or your father?  Who is the black sheep (odd ball) in your family?  Would you get involved in your in-laws' family problems?  Would you live with your parents after you get married?  Should children help with the housework? o How much or how often should they help? o What kinds of housework is not appropriate for children to do?  Do you live in a nuclear family or an extended family? o What are the advantages and disadvantages of these types of family?  What impact has divorce and/or modern day living had on the family?  Is the nanny and/or the day-care centre the third parent?  Where is the best place to raise a family? o Where do you think the best place to raise a family is? Why? [...]... family? Describe the perfect family Do your parents get along with each other? Do your parents trust you? Food & Eating                      There is a related set of questions at http://iteslj.org /questions/ restaurants.html About how many different color foods did you eat for dinner last night? o Do you think about color when you are preparing a meal? Are there any foods that you... been mugged while on vacation? What is the most exotic or strangest thing you ate on holiday? Have you ever thought of giving up your holiday due to unavoidable reasons? Not a Question, But Usable for Conversation  Please summarize your vacation in one elaborative sentence         Are there any parks near your home? Describe each room of your home Do you like the place where you are living?... What are some common jobs for women in your country? What are some jobs that children do? What are some jobs that you think would be boring? What are some jobs that you think would be fun? What are some questions that are frequently asked in a job interview? What are you responsible for? What are you trying to do in order to find a job that you really like? What do you do? o What's your job? What do you... Which jobs are over-paid? o Which job are more popular than others, and why? o Is your job competitive? o What about promotions? o Is it too competitive? These were submitted as possible job interview questions o What degrees do you have? o How much experience do you have? o Where have you worked? o Why did you choose this employment? o How much would you like to earn? o Have you ever worked in this... about meeting new people? About how many new people do you meet a week? Where are some good places to meet people? How important are first impressions to you? Money & Shopping Please remember that some questions about money may be considered too personal to ask anyone who is not a very close friend or a family member  About how much did you spend on presents last year?  About how much do you usually . 1 Conversation Questions Cities  Why you like living in the city?  What are some of the advantages of living. living condition in cities?  What are some differences between living in the city and living in the country?  What size city is best to live in? Why? http://iteslj.org /questions/ classrooms.html. other?  Do your parents trust you? Food & Eating There is a related set of questions at http://iteslj.org /questions/ restaurants.html  About how many different color foods did you eat for